Week in the Life - September 11

Today was nerve racking because I didn't know what was going to happen with my son's school bus escapades. He got on the bus no problem. But was the ride home going to be successful?

I finally spoke to the teacher and I got a call from the city's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT). What I learned from OPT was quite disturbing though they did take responsibility for yesterday's debacle. Apparently, it is perfectly acceptable, according to the Dept of Education for a child, aged 6, to tell the driver that it is OK for him to get off the bus without a caregiver waiting for him! Really? My child can't completely wipe his behind. He certainly does not have critical thinking and decision-making skills. I also learned that the driver is supposed to wait until the designated time if she arrives to the child's stop early. The former policy sounds wrong to me and I am on a mission to research this further. In fact, the school's student handbook contradicts this policy....more to come.

Now, I spoke to Ethan's master teacher, after some phone tag. She was quite apologetic and answered all of my questions. She indicated that because of my concerns and what occurred with Ethan, the school revised some of its protocol. I'm not sure if that makes me feel better. What I have also learned through this 72 hour ordeal is that these incidences are more common than not. THAT is quite disturbing. Something has got to change and it should not take the disappearance, or worse, of a child to change policy. So I am happy that the school responded quickly and made necessary revisions without too much arm twisting.

In addition, each child that takes the bus gets this tag with the bus route number, the cross street and their initials. Ethan announced that it should NEVER be removed from his bookbag...EVER. No worries.

On a more somber note, it IS September 11. 12 years have past since the towers and Pentagon were struck and the planes crashed. Seems like only yesterday. There was a lot of traffic and I took and alternate route and without realizing, I ended up behind the towers' footprints.

  

I saw these structures that look like airplane wings and I wonder if airplane are part of the overall theme of the design, architecture and museum. I guess we'll know soon enough.